SPORTS DIGEST: HEARTLAND TEAM GETS ELIMINATED

PINE BLUFF, Ark. --The Heartland Nationals, a 12-under girls softball team based in Benton, Mo., was eliminated from the Babe Ruth World Series Thursday with a 3-2 loss in seven innings to Concord, Calif. (a regulation game is six innings).

Heartland, which went 1-2 in the six-team, double-elimination bracket play, wound up tied for fourth in the tournament.

After winning its bracket play opener Wednesday, 8-0 against Homewood, Ill., the Nationals fell later in the day to defending champion Pitt County, N.C., 8-1.

Against Concord, the Nationals had just one hit -- a single by Allison Peters -- but scored two unearned runs.

Heartland pitchers Louise Blankenship and Whitney Horrell gave up seven hits. Blankenship, the starter, allowed three hits and two runs in four innings. Horrell, who took the loss, allowed four hits and one run in 2 1/3 innings.